Artist&#39;s composing frame and color chart



Q 1,645,102 1927' I E. WJGREACEN ARTISTS COMPOSING FRAME AND COLOR CHART Filed Dec. 10, 1926 Fig.1

INVENTOR. 6M 1- A TTORNEY S'.

Patented Get. 11, 1927. i p I I V EDMUND W. GREAGEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTISTS OOMPOSING FRAME AND GOLGR CHART. Application filed December 10, 1926. serial No. 54,01 9.

This invention relates to improvements in and left'sides A and A The sides are an artists composing frame with a chart of preferably arranged in rectangular formacolors and color values, and more particulartion, as shown, but if desired they bear ly, in some of its details, it relates to mdifferent relative positions. The frame sides so provements in a combined composing frame enclose a rectangular opening .6 whichforms (View fi de andchart of colors and color the observation opening through which the values for use of artists and art pupils. view or scene is observed to assist in its cor- It is a general object of the invention to rcct composition. The frame may be in the provide a device of the character mentioned form of a thin, fiat plaque, or plate made which will id the artist to 'depicta scene of some light strong 'material such, for exorwdew ith fid lit nd exactness and to ample, as wood, fiber. board orlight" metal, fa ilitate the ease and rapidity with which andmay be of any convenient size. A 'size the Work may be l t d suitable for ordinary landscape and similar t is a more particular object of the in: work will be about four or five inches wide, ventio'n to provide an improved device or and five or six inches long, outside dimenthe class mentioned which will assist the sions, and each side of the frame will be artist to compose his picture effectively, and about one-half inch in width. to faithfully reproduce the actual colors and The top and bottom and lateral sides of C0101. Values at i u parts of the picture. the frame have front or obverse surfaces, 7 to Another Object is to id an improved and back or-reverse surfaces, oneor theoth er d i f th las mentioned for training of these surfaces, therefore, being'faced tothe eye of the art student in the correct selecward the observer when viewing an object ti f l r for portraying scenery. through the opening C.

A further object is to provide a device of The front surface of the side A of the 9,5 the character mentioned which, while aC- frame is laid off into six zones arranged side complishing other objects herein mentioned, by side, d Preferably about a} CLUE-11in r a is simple and inexpensive in construction and and extending all the way to the inner marlight and convenient in use. gm of the side so as to lie contiguous to the Other objects will be, in part, obvious 1n observation opening C. Each of the zones so connection with the following detailed debears a color which may be coextensive therescription of an illustrative but preferred em with extending entirely to the im ier and bodiment of the invention and will be in part outer margins or terminals of the plate formpointed out therein. ing the chart. The zones may, therefore, be

The invention accordingly comprises an referred to as color zones. As shown in Fi o 35 article of manufacture possessing the fea- 1, the zone B bears the color red extending to tures, properties, and the relation of -e1cthe edge of the observation opening, as to ments which will be exemplified in the article also each of the other colors. Similarly the hereinafter described and the scope of the zone 0 is colored orange, the zone Y yelloiw, application of which will be indicated in the the zone G green,;the zone B blue, and the as hi zone P purple or violet. It will, therefore,

i For a more complete understanding of the be seen that this face of the frame'bears the nature and objects of the invention, reference six principal pigmentary colors forming the is had to the following detailed description pigmentary spectrum and being arranged of the'illustrative embodiment of the invenside by side in the adjacent color gzones. loo

a5 tion and to the accompanying drawings, in These colors will ordinarily be saturated,

whi h that is, theywill be substantially free from Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a composing black, andtherefore free from gray tones,

name embodying the invention. In a like manner the front surfacesiof the showing obverse surfaces ofthefr'ame. divided :into groups f Zone? f p 3 is a longitudinal sectional view inately equal area sis-shown. The, zones on taken approximately on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. the frame side A are prov ded-with different Referring to the drawing for a detailed intensities or values in blaclr and :white, the de cription of he embodiment of the iinvenintens1tiesrang1ng progressively fromsve 110 jt on there shown, rectangular frame A darkor blaokginlgh z yyn White'lin the has resend bottom sides A, and-right "zone 'i Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, three other fraine's dofi Ai yA and Afl'are The color zones of the front surface of the frame side A are colored with different shades or color values of one of the pigmentary colors, different shades of orange being shown in the drawing. Thus the shades or color values of the orange vary progressively from very dark orange or orange of low luminosity in zone to light orange or orange-0f high luminosity in zone 0 with intermediate values positioned between these extremes. These diflerent color values for the orange may be produced by firstapplying to the different zones progres sively varying values in blaclrand white similar to that applied to the zone W, W etc., and varying in intensity from dark in zone 0 to light in zone One or more coats of orangeare then placed over all of the zones, thereby-producing the effect of different. shades or. color values of orange, ranging from dark to light. In this man ner the different colorvalues'of the orange may be presented iii grayish tones. The different color values of. the other principal pigmentary colors may alsobe presented in the graytones on the other surfaces of the frame in a manner similar to that described in connection with the orange.

The color zones of the front face of the frame side A may, in a-manner similar to that above described for the side A be colored with different shades or color values of blue ranging progressively from very dark blue, or blue of low luminosity, in zone B, to very light blue, or blue of high luminosity in zone E the grayish tones appearing in the different zones becauseof the manner of placing different valuesv of black and white on the different zones prior to application of the bluecoloring, as above described.

The reverse surface of the frame is also laid off in groups of zones positioned along with different values of green from dark in zoneGr to light in zone J5; surface offra-me side 'A is provided with different values of purple from dark in zone P to light in zone P and the corresponding surface 'of framesideA is provided with different values ofyellow from dark in zone Y tolight in zone Y r VVe have, tl1e'refore,'on' the eight surfaces of the frame sides, frontand back, thepigmentary spectrum or six principal pigmentary colors, different values of black and White varying progressively from low to high luminosity, and the different color va ues or shades of the six principal pigmentary colors varying progressively in each instance from low to. high luminosity.

v In use the composing frame is held in the hand and the proposed view is observed through the observation opening C. The frame is moved or adjusted up or down, and to right or to left, until an artistic and cor rectly balanced view, with reference to the margins of the observation opening, is ob tained. This will present a view of the composition as it is to appear upon. the'canvas or paper, and will enable the artist or student to visualize more clearly the com pleted picture. Different parts of the scene ordinarily appear in many different colors and shades, and the color chart above described, with its scheme of colorzones, en'- ables the artist to select his colors with accuracy, and thus to depict the various parts of the scene with fidelity to original coloring. Thus if any ofthe principal pigmentary colors appears in the scene, it can be determined with accuracy by observing it through the observation opening and moving the composingframe until the corresponding color on the chart is brought into juxtaposition thereto, whereby direct comparison can be made and the color accurately determined. Since the colors extend to the inner margin of the frame side, the color of the scene can be brought adjacent to that of the chart whereby the colors can be matched by directcomparison. The color to be applied to the picture or painting can, therefore, be determined with great accuracy. Similarly the varying shades or values of the principal colors appearing in the scene or landscape may be determined from the different surfaces ofthe charts by direct comparison with the different color zones thereof. Therefore, the different primary colors and different shades or color values of the different primary colors fromlow to high luminosity in each case, different values in black and white, and the grayish tones, may be accurately determined and applied to the picture. I

Since certain changes maybe made in the above article, and different embodiments of the invention could be made without depart ing from the scope thereof, it isintended that all matter contained in'the above de-.

scription or shown" in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted'as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. a I i It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover. all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scopeo'f the invention which, as a matter of language, might besaid to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. An a'rtists composing frame having a surface thereof facing in one direction provided With differently colored zones.

2. An artists composing frame having obverse and reverse surfaces thereof provided with differently colored zones.

8. An artists composing frame having sides with surfaces thereof facing in one direction, provided with differently colored zones arranged side by side, the color zones of one or more of the frame sides bearing different color values of one-or more of the pigmentary colors. I

a. An artists composing frame having a surface thereof facing in one direction provided With difierently colored zones, different parts of said frame surface bearing, re spectively, in adjacent zones thereof, different color values of one or more of the pigmentary colors, the principal pigmentary colors, and different intensities or values in black and White.

5. An artists color chart in the form of a plate having a surface thereof facing in one direction provided With differently colored zones each extending entirely to an adjacent outer margin of the plate, adjacent zones at different parts of said chart surface bearing respectively different color values of different pigmentary colors.

6. An artists color chart in the form of a plate having a surface thereof facing in one direction provided with adjacent zones bearing respectively different values of a pigmentary color, said surface having certain other adjacent zones at different parts of the chart surface bearing respectively the principal pigmentary colors and different values in black and White, each of said zones extending entirely to an adjacent margin of said chart plate.

7. An artists composing frame having a plurality of sides arranged at angles With each other to enclose an observation opening, said sides having surfaces thereof facing in 'one direction, provided with a plurality of juxtaposed zones, certain different groups of adjacent zones bearing respectively the principal pigmentary colors, different values in black and White, and different color values or shades of different pigmentary colors.

8. An artists composing frame having a plurality of sides arranged at angles to each other to enclose an observation opening, said sides having obverse and reverse surfaces, each bearing a group of juxtaposed zones, certain different groups of adjacent zones bearing, respectively, the principal pigmentary colors, different values in black and white, and different color values or shades of the principal pigmentary colors, ranging progressively from dark to light for each color.

9. An artists composing frame having sides enclosing an observationopening, the faces of said sides having thereon the principal pigmentary colors, values in black and White varying progressively from low to high luminosity, and different color values of the principal pigmentary color s varying progressively from low to high luminosity.

10. An artists composing frame in the form of a plate having an observation or composing opening, said plate having a surface thereof provided With a plurality of adjacent color zones extending entirely to the margin of said plate adjacent said opening.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDMUND V. GREACEN. 

